John,
It’s been another packed week of late nights and hard work as we continue putting Americans first. Here are some of the top stories and accomplishments from the past few days.
There’s been a lot of confusion about what happened in the House Rules Committee this week regarding the Epstein files. On Thursday, my Republican colleagues on the Rules Committee and I introduced and passed a resolution calling for the release of all credible information the Department of Justice has related to Jeffrey Epstein. Earlier in the week, the Democrats tried to scuttle a crypto currency bill, one of President Trump’s priorities, by attaching a completely unrelated amendment regarding the Epstein issue. The amendment had nothing to do with the bill itself and was clearly a political stunt by a Democrat from California. It was not a serious attempt to address the issue, especially after four years of inaction by Biden to release any information. And unlike the Democrats’ half-baked amendment, our resolution prioritizes protecting the victims of Epstein’s disgusting acts. President Trump also ordered the Department of Justice to release the Epstein grand jury testimony, and Attorney General Bondi is now working through the process to unseal those transcripts. We are committed to transparency and holding the government accountable, as well as ensuring no victims are hurt further as we seek the truth.
The House passed the Senate-approved legislation to rescind nearly $9 billion in federal funding for NPR, PBS, and certain foreign aid programs. Republicans like myself have fought to end taxpayer support for these line items—and for good reason. NPR and PBS have used federal dollars to push a woke agenda on our children, promoting gender ideology, drag queen story hours, and content that most parents and grandparents simply don’t agree with. The “foreign aid” dollars affected were exposed by audits for being funneled into ridiculous climate initiatives and unnecessary foreign projects. Forcing taxpayers to fund programming that undermines their values or doesn't advance our national interests is unacceptable. This rescissions package is a win for common sense and fiscal responsibility.
My House Republican colleagues and I joined Congressmen Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Jodey Arrington (R-TX) in a letter to United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer addressing the foreign price controls that raise drug costs for American patients. We are urging Ambassador Greer to take further action to fix foreign policies that force our health care system to bear the burden of paying for pharmaceutical development and research that is used worldwide. Our nation is the global leader in biopharmaceuticals, yet our patients pay the highest prices. Americans make up less than 5% of the global population, but fund over 75% of pharmaceutical profits around the world. It is unfair and plain wrong. We need to stop this growing imbalance and make sure foreign countries are not free-loading on American investment and innovation. It is time we stop shifting the costs onto American patients and ensure we receive care at a more reasonable cost.
I was a proud cosponsor of Representative Mike Kelly's (R-PA) Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, which aims to amend the Social Security Act by streamlining the prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage plans. Too often, delays in approvals disrupt patient care and put seniors at risk. These delays aren’t just personal nuisances. They create gaps in care, leaving many seniors susceptible to worse health outcomes. This bill will cut red tape, improve patient access to crucial medical services, and make it easier for providers to care. I call on all of my House and Senate colleagues to pass this bill immediately and provide relief to America’s seniors.
As always, thank you for your continued trust and support. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance with anything.
